Immigration to Canada & Australia by country
Choose your country to see the permanent-residency and study pathways, in-demand occupations, and the documents that come from your country. We work with clients worldwide.
What your country changes, and what it doesn't
The rules are the same whatever your passport: Canada's Express Entry ranking and Australia's points test give no points for nationality and take none away. What differs is the paperwork that comes from your own country:
Police certificates
For permanent residence, Canada asks for a police certificate from every country where you have spent six months or more in a row since the age of 18 (IRCC). Who issues it, and how you apply from abroad, differs by country.
Engineering degrees
If your country's engineering accreditor is a full signatory of the Washington Accord, a degree it accredited for your graduation year can usually be assessed by Engineers Australia without a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). Provisional members bring no recognition.
English tests
Express Entry needs an approved language test from every applicant. Australia treats only passport holders of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland as having competent English without one, so applicants from every country below sit a test, even where English is an official language.
Police certificates and degree recognition, by country
Who issues the police certificate Canada expects, and the status of the country's engineering accreditor under the Washington Accord. Each country page has the full steps, how to apply from abroad, and the source.
| Country | Police certificate for Canada, issued by | Engineering accreditor (Washington Accord) |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Provincial police, with separate procedures and portals for Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad | PEC, full signatory since 2017 |
| India | A passport office (through Passport Seva) or your local district police | NBA, full signatory since 2014 |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh Police, through its online application | IEB, full signatory since 2024 |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Police (Police Headquarters, Colombo), through its online application | IESL, full signatory since 2014 |
| Nepal | Nepal Police (Police Headquarters, Naxal, Kathmandu) | No signatory |
| Philippines | National Bureau of Investigation, at any NBI office | PTC, full signatory since 2024 |
| Nigeria | Nigeria Police Force: the Central Criminal Registry (Force C.I.D. Annex) in person, or the Commissioner of Police by mail | COREN, provisional member only |
| Ghana | Ghana Police, CID Headquarters, Accra | No signatory |
| Kenya | Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Criminal Records Office, Nairobi | EBK, provisional member only |
| Egypt | Your local police station | No signatory |
| Vietnam | The Department of Justice for your registered permanent address, or the provincial public service portal (Hanoi residents use the Hanoi Department of Justice online service) | No signatory |
| Indonesia | Indonesian National Police, at your local police authority or online | IABEE, full signatory since 2022 |
| Iran | A Police+10 centre, or the Sana online system, which works only inside Iran | No signatory |
| South Africa | South African Police Service, at your local office | ECSA, full signatory since 1999 |
| Zimbabwe | Criminal Records Office, Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters, Harare | No signatory |
| UAE | The police department of your emirate; one certificate from any emirate is enough | No signatory |
| Saudi Arabia | The Criminal Evidence Division of the police, or through your employer on the Amen portal | ETEC, provisional member only |
| Turkey | The Public Prosecutor's Office (a branch in each city), or online through e-Devlet if you live in Türkiye | MÜDEK, full signatory since 2011 |
Sources: IRCC's police certificate instructions for each country, and the International Engineering Alliance list of Washington Accord signatories, checked 20 October 2026.